These Are The Brands Acing Their Brand Community Marketing Strategies 

The key to successful marketing in 2024? A steadfast, authentic brand community. 

Modern consumers crave genuine connection more than anything. In a digital world driven by AI, increasingly realistic virtual influencers, and more social media platforms than one can keep track of, a little bit of human connection goes a long way. 

For brands, this means finding a way to emotionally connect with their audiences. Enter brand community marketing strategies, the new frontier. From online forums to in-person meet-ups, brands are increasingly leveraging community strategies to connect with their target audiences. 

Which brands are doing brand community marketing best, and what can we learn from their tactics? Read on to find out how to ace your brand community marketing and keep up with the times. 

THE RISE OF BRAND COMMUNITY

@priscillascreativecorner

@REFY staying ahead if the curve again with a community based brand trip intead of taking out influencers ✨ This reminds me of alot of @TOPICALS giving an opportunity to members of their community to join them on a brand trip. Could community trips take over? What are your thoughts Do you think community trips should replace influencer trips. #influencer #influencermarketing #buildingcommunity #socialmediamarketing #refy #refybeauty

♬ original sound – priscilla | career + life

2024 has seen the rise of the brand community marketing and community importance for brands.

Over the course of the year, more and more brands have embraced this strategy as a way to better connect with their audiences. Community strategies – which sees a brand use specific marketing tactics to build an extensive network for their followers, be it through ambassador programs, online forums, or in-person events – are an effective way to deepen a brand’s relationship with audiences, focusing on fostering shared experiences and cultivating loyalty. 

Brand community strategies go far beyond simple transactional relationships, instead creating strong emotional bonds and shared values that resonate with modern consumers. 

Whilst a few years ago a social media page with some light community management was enough for users to feel connected with a brand. However, with every major brand out there having an array of social media accounts, it takes a little bit more for consumers to feel connected to and respected by the brands they love. 

Three brands who have truly mastered the art of brand community strategies are Sephora, Lego, and Bubble Skincare. 

Sephora Beauty Insider Community 

@eadem.co

If you don’t know which Sephora Insider status you are, this video’s for you! @sephora’s Savings Event starts tomorrow, as a Rouge member, you get 20% off your order 💝 #EADEM #sephora #sephorasavingsevent #sephorasale #sephorainsider

♬ GIVE IT TO ME X LONDON BRIDGE – ALTÉGO

Launched in 2017, Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community is a members-only mobile and online social media platform that acts as a forum for questions, inspiration and recommendations. 

The foundation of the platform, and what makes it so successful, is a shared love of beauty. Users do not feel like they are in a Sephora branded space, but rather are geeking out with their fellow beauty lovers. This casual, authentic feeling is what has drawn more than 5.5 million members to join the space and create more than 2.7 million posts. 

Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community is brand community at its best. It is genuine and user driven with minimal input from Sephora rather than offering up test products and asking for feedback. 

Lego Ideas Platform 

@socialmediamads

LEGO has brilliantly fostered a community of older builders through its LEGO Ideas platform. This initiative allows fans to design their own sets, submit them online, and gather support from other enthusiasts. Once a project garners enough votes, it has the chance to be reviewed and potentially produced as an official LEGO set. This approach has not only encouraged creativity among adult fans but has also expanded LEGO’s reach beyond traditional age groups! This campaign demonstrates LEGO’s commitment to engaging with its fan base, offering a unique avenue for older builders to share their creativity and passion. It’s a fantastic example of how brands can build strong communities by embracing user-generated content and celebrating the ingenuity of their fans. #LEGOIdeas #CommunityBuilding #UserGeneratedContent #Creativity #AdultFans

♬ original sound – Maddie | Social Media Coach

Lego Ideas Platform is an online community where consumers can connect over their love of these famous little building blocks. 

What sets the space apart from other brand community forums, is that is driven by creativity. Users can engage in activities, challenges and even create their very own product ideas. The site feels like a Lego-based arcade for major fans, rather than a branded space. 

Users particularly love the sites product ideas section, wherein they can submit designs for blocks or sets that they believe Lego should create. Lego actively sorts through these, posting successful designs straight to the site. 

As a result, users feel like they are driving the space, rather than Lego. It is a creative community or avid Lego lovers, rather than mere consumers. 

Bubble Skincare Geneva

@alanagood98

I am so excited to announce I am officially a @Bubble Skincare ambassador!!🫧 I cannot wait to start posting and reviewing their products!! 🥰 #bubbleskincare #bubbleambassador @Bubble Ambassadors🫧✨ #fyp #contentcreator #microinfluencer #girlssupportgirls

♬ Confidence (sped up version) – Ocean Alley

Bubble Skincare has been stand-out in making consumers feel like the drivers of their brand. 

Through their social media and impressive ambassador program Bubble has become known as the skincare brand of Gen-Z. Yet the most impressive jewel in their brand community crown is their Geneva profile. 

Geneva, a group chat app similar to Discord, has become popular with brands who are looking to get the opinions and participation from their audience. Bubble has truly rewritten brand usage on the platform, taking to it to show off up-and-coming products, ask consumers for their opinions, run polls, giveaways, and frequently hand out test products to consumers for them to trial and give feedback. 

Consumers as a result do not feel like consumers, but rather part of the brand team, driving brand decisions. Bubble in return ensures happy customers, as it has all the information it needs to create products and make brand decisions in favour of its audience’s desires. 

WHAT MAKES COMMUNITY MARKETING EFFECTIVE?

So, why do consumers respond so well to brand community strategies? What makes community marketing so effective? Ultimately, it boils down to four key areas. 

Firstly, community marketing builds trust and authenticity. Customers are more likely to trust peer recommendations and user-generated content than traditional ads. Communities enable honest conversations and genuine advocacy, building trust in consumers and lending an authentic air to a brand. 

Community marketing also fosters emotional engagement. By creating shared experiences, brands tap into emotions, creating loyal customer bases that identify with the brand’s values and mission.

@designedbyshyne

Where the future of brand & marketing is heading 👀🧠 #marketingtips #marketingtrends #marketingtrends2022 #brand3 #web3marketing #nftmarketing #communitybusiness #communitybuilding101 #createculture #createcultivatecommunity #brandcommunity #brandidentitydesigner #brandstrategymatters #brandstrategyadvice #brandstorytelling

♬ A Drug From God – Chris Lake & Grimes

Moreover, brand community strategies encourage organic growth. Members of strong communities often become advocates, driving word-of-mouth marketing and attracting new members without significant additional investment. 

Finally, a successful brand community provides market insights. Engaged communities offer a valuable source of feedback, helping brands refine their offerings and campaigns. Thus leading to more success down the line. 

BRAND COMMUNITY MARKETING STRATEGIES IN 2024

Ultimately, brand community marketing strategies have greatly risen in favour over the past year. From online-spaces for creative fans to members-only forums, brands across the world are finding new and creative ways to foster community amongst their audiences. 

The rise of social media and shifts in consumer behaviour have caused traditional marketing to lose its efficacy. Modern consumers have different priorities – they prioritise inclusivity, authenticity and shared values, meaning marketing strategies have had to shift accordingly. On top of this, brands are also looking for long-term strategies that are cost-effective amid economic uncertainties 

Community marketing aligns perfectly with these needs, emphasising relationship-building over one-time transactions. To join in, focus on brand community marketing strategies that prioritise long-term growth over immediate pay off. Users will be able to tell immediately if a brand’s are not genuine, so follow in Sephora, Lego, and Bubble’s footsteps and create a space that truly resonates with an audience and its niche desires. 

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